How to Remove Disposable Gloves

Disposable gloves provide protection from blood-borne pathogens and are required in many health- and human-services settings. Practice appropriate glove removal before you need them in a real-life situation, if possible, because it's critical that you remove them without having the contaminated glove touch your bare skin. Proper disposable glove removal is one component of universal health precautions that will help you avoid infection in personal or professional settings. Assume that all blood, mucus, urine and feces contain an infectious agent---this will ensure that you take every necessary precaution.

Things You'll Need

• Infectious waste container

Instructions

1. Pinch the lower palm of one contaminated glove with the gloved fingers of your other hand, and pull it toward your fingertips so that it rolls off your hand with the inside facing outward. Do not remove it completely, though.

2. Pinch the lower palm of the other glove with the fingers of the partially-gloved hand, and pull it off completely by pulling it upward and inside-out. Do not dispose of this glove yet---hold it with the fingertips of your partially gloved hand.

3. Insert the thumb and forefinger of your bare hand between your wrist and the inside-out cuff of the partially-removed glove. Use caution to avoid touching the outside of the contaminated glove with your bare fingers.

4. Pull the glove toward your fingertips and then over the other contaminated glove.

5. Dispose of the gloves in a marked infectious waste container. Wash your hands immediately with soap and hot water.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not touch your skin with the outer portion of a contaminated glove.

References

• Circle Safety and Health Consultants: The Proper Way to Remove Disposable Gloves
• Diversified Health Occupations, Sixth Edition; Louise Simmers; 2004